05 Nov AMHRC condemns homophobic statements by Darebin Council Candidate
The Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is deeply concerned by the Facebook comments of a candidate of Macedonian ancestry, prior to the recent Darebin City Council elections.
On the 24th of October the local Preston Leader Newspaper reported that Ananija Ananievski, in Macedonian, said that if he won the election he would rid the community of “crap” such as homosexuality parades. He also wrote that he was not afraid of gays and that every normal person should know that normal, healthy marriage was between a male and a woman.
Whilst the AMHRC respects and indeed defends the right of free speech, it does not in any way condone expressions of homophobia and is deeply saddened that Mr Ananievski chose to make his remarks in Macedonian, as they cannot be deemed to be representative of the wider Macedonian Community’s view on the LGBT community.
The AMHRC has made several attempts to contact Mr. Ananievski to provide him with an opportunity to explain his comments, however to date we have had no response.
Manifestations of Homophobia and intolerance have no place in Australian society.